Top 10 Greatest Rockers Who Died of Alcohol or Drugs

Rock 'n' roll has always been synonymous with excess, wild abandon, and a taste for pushing the boundaries. For some, this lifestyle became a tragic double-edged sword. The bright lights and thunderous applause were often accompanied by dark demons and battles with addiction. Today, we pay tribute to those fallen stars who left an indelible mark on the world of rock music but succumbed to the perils of drugs and alcohol.

In this top ten list, we'll honor the greatest rockers who lost their lives to the very vices that, in some cases, fueled their creativity and success. Their untimely departures left fans grieving and the music world mourning the loss of immense talent, but their legacies live on through the powerful music and iconic moments they left behind.
The Top Ten
1 Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix (born November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most... read more

It's tragic how he died. Poor guy choked on his vomit in his sleep after taking multiple drugs and getting blackout drunk.

He was and still is #1! I didn't know Moon died... when did this happen?

What a loss to the world that was!

2 Layne Staley Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains, which he founded with guitarist Jerry Cantrell in Seattle, Washington in 1987. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s... read more

My absolute favorite dead rock star. Staley was so under-rated by the media, but he really wasn't looking for that anyway. It's just his fans that want him to receive the praise that he is due. Amazing vocal talent, always copied but never duplicated. RIP Layne

Most unique voice in rock history and a very talented musician. His story is so sad.

3 Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined... read more

Sorry to hear about his death but drugs and alcohol are bad for your health!

4 Bon Scott Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. He was born in Forfar and lived in Kirriemuir, Scotland, for 5 years before moving to Melbourne, Australia,... read more

No One is better than my dead idol. He's No. 1

5 Jim Morrison James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, and poet best remembered as the lead singer of the Doors.

He defined the Rock as a great vehicle for the Poetry; his genius made possible to superimpose and differentiate images of love and pain, abandonment and redemption, life and death.
Poet Musician, economy of words, fluency of images. King Lizard FOREVER

No one can replace jim morrison. He is one of the best singer writer poet. The one who define the love and pain in love. But we loose him so early. I wish I could had see him live. God give him peace

6 John Bonham John Henry Bonham was born on May 31, 1948 in Redditch, United Kingdom. Bonham (nicknamed Bonzo) was a professional hard rock drummer who was best known for being the drummer in the band Led Zeppelin. Bonham was also one of the background singers in the band. His drumming is mainly displayed on the... read more

Soo sad, he was so great and legendary!

7 Keith Moon Keith John Moon was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. He was noted for his unique style and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. His drumming continues to be praised by critics and musicians.
8 John Entwistle John Alec Entwistle, was an English singer, songwriter, composer, musician, film and music producer. He is mostly known as the lead bassist for the rock band The Who.

Awesome bassist. He influenced all modern bassists and was was voted bassist of the millenium.

9 Janis Joplin Janis Joplin (1943-1970) was an American singer who rose to fame as the main singer of acid band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She was known for her eccentric hippie style and psychedelic rock music.

Sorry to hear about her death drugs and alcohol are bad for your health!

10 Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan James Owen Sullivan (February 9th, 1981 - December 28th 2009), better known by his stage name "The Rev" (Short for "The Reverend Tholomew Plague") was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the former drummer, backing vocalist and co-founder of the American alternative metal/ metalcore... read more

The greatest drummer and musician... He will be missed for all the thing he did for us and Avenged Sevenfold... He's not just anyone he is the rev and the greatest musician in the world... Listen to songs by a7x and listen to why he's the best!

A truly talented drummer who died of an accidental overdose on prescription drugs and alcohol...
RIP Jimmy. Avenged Sevenfold and the fans will never be the same without you.
A7X and Jimmy foREVer xx

The Contenders
11 Shannon Hoon Richard Shannon Hoon was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer of the band Blind Melon until his death in 1995.

It was tragic to lose a talent and soul like Shannon Hoon. He has touched so many lives with his words and music. Shannon's words saved and changed my life in so many ways. And I'm not alone.

12 Phil Lynott Philip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. His most commercially successful group was Thin Lizzy, of which he was a founding member, the principal songwriter, lead vocalist and bassist.
13 Sid Vicious John Beverly, born John Simon Ritchie, later named Sid Vicious, was an English musician, most famous as the bass guitarist of the influential punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and notorious for his arrest for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.
14 Michael Jackson Michael Jackson (Michael Joseph Jackson; August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009. He donated (at least) a remarkable 500,000,000 dollars to charity. Michael... read more
15 Mike Starr Michael Christopher "Mike" Starr was an American musician, best known as the original bassist in Alice in Chains, which he played with from the band's formation in 1987 until 1993.
16 Brad Nowell Bradley James Nowell was an American musician who served as the founder, lead singer, and guitarist of the band Sublime.

The members Sublime and the world of music were never the same.

17 Kurt Cobain Kurt Cobain was born February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1987, he started the grunge band Nirvana, which became one of the most successful bands ever. He was a talented yet troubled grunge performer. Kurt Cobain became a rock legend in the 1990s with his band. He committed suicide at his... read more

He died because he shot himself because he was depressed, heroin addiction was only half the reason and not his cause of death...

Wonder why he's not on the list - Nirvana blew the roof in the few years they were there

18 Rory Gallagher William Rory Gallagher was an Irish blues and rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader.
19 Judee Sill
20 Paul Gray Paul Dedrick Gray, also known as The Pig or by his number #2, was an American musician, best known as the bassist and one of the founding members of the Grammy Award-winning metal band Slipknot.

He was on one of the greatest metal bands of our time... He will be missed and he will always be my favorite bassist...

21 Richard Manuel Richard George Manuel was a Canadian composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the pianist, regular lead singer, and occasional drummer of The Band.
22 Prince Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21st, 2016) was an American musician, best known for being one of the most popular and influential artists from the 80s, with songs such as "Purple Rain", "Little Red Corvette", "1999", and "When Doves Cry" .
23 Nick Drake Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter and musician, known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. A singular talent who passed almost unnoticed during his brief lifetime, his work has posthumously achieved wider notice and recognition.
24 Steve Clark Stephen Maynard Clark was an English musician. He was the lead guitarist and principal songwriter for the British hard rock band, Def Leppard, until 1991, when he died from alcohol poisoning.
25 Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter known for her deep expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz. She is also a well-known member of the 27 Club, as she overdosed on alcohol at age 27.
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